Author: Jyothi Vinod
A creative writing website suggested a few essays for reading practice. I downloaded the first of them by R.L.Stevenson (having already read Treasure Island and Kidnapped). I began reading the first lines with enthusiasm: “Just now, when everyone is bound, under pain of a decree in absence convicting them of lèse-respectability, to enter on some lucrative profession, and labour therein with something not far short of enthusiasm …” Soon I was slowing down and re-reading the lines. The essay called “An apology for idlers” was written in 1877. In that period, most people spoke or at least understood English that way. But with due apologies to the great author I consider it a good example of English which is anything but plain.
What is plain English?
Plain English is English which can be used to reach out to the largest cross section of people. Unadorned and simple construction of sentences, the use of familiar words or new words that gain meaning within their context, gives rise to a form of English less terrifying to the reader or listener.
English is now an accepted medium of instruction in most schools and colleges. Offices also prefer to use English for their correspondence to reach a wider market nationally or internationally. (There may be people objecting to English itself, plain or otherwise. Try making Sanskrit the official language or medium of instruction and watch the very same people grow silent!). ‘We are essentially citizens of the world’, as a famous writer once said. So learning to read, write and speak English can also be useful in countries other than India.
Why plain English and that too in India?
During the British rule and afterwards we had many Indians including freedom fighters writing in English on themes close to our heart. Gandhi, Nehru, Sarojini Naidu, Rabindranath Tagore and many others have written beautifully in English. Observe that nobody seemed eager to stop learning English because the British had left.
My parents studied English only during their college days (having studied in their native language, Kannada up to high school). I suppose the same is true of most people of their generation. With the exception of a few convent educated parents, most of the children born in the 60’s and ‘70s were the first generation of Indians educated completely with English as medium of instruction (again, this could represent only a few states or cities of India). And most of this generation grew up reading comics and abridged classics, not Victorian English. Therefore, it is unreasonable to expect the whole nation to be familiar with English and try imposing a difficult version of the language on the people. Plain English will serve the purpose of communication beautifully.
I have taught in Rajasthan for the past eleven years and have often heard the comment, “Ma’am is this English?” when I referred them to a good textbook in English by a foreign author. These foreign authors are usually respected specialists in the field they write about and the information is very accurate and useful. The editing and publishing done abroad do nothing to simplify the language, though prices are sometimes dropped for the Asian subcontinent. The subjects are already tough without the language making it more so. The students then turn to other less effective alternatives, sadly reaching out for locally published books (only some of these are good ) or depend on the teacher to explain the material (or English?) to them.
Some points I keep in mind while communicating in English.
- Check the audience. Many states still have popular regional language schools. If you are writing a text book or a manual keep it simple and strictly to the point.
- Keep official English sentences plain and simple. The less pompous sounding the better. (Try reading a judicial document and see if your hair doesn’t fall off in clumps!)
- I use very common words and short sentences while teaching or talking in English. After a couple of lectures ‘English’ takes a backseat and the class moves forward on algorithms and formulae.
- Rules and regulations defeat the very purpose they are designed for when they are written in stiff officious language. Keep it conversational.
- Remember when you communicate in plain English you are not lowering your standards but raising your levels of tolerance.
The last word
To be fair to many writers, not everyone is out there just trying to impress or baffle people with the complex English language they use. That is just the way they know to write. Its great reading experience, even if only for an elite group. Let them be.
Speaking, reading and writing good English is still not very widespread. So spare a thought for those who can get by with only the barest of English vocabulary. My student who returned from a technical seminar said this of a professor with impressive credentials,”He spoke well Ma’am. All big words in English and long sentences that too in an American accent. Very great scientist but all the words flew over my head and out of the window. Wish I knew good English Ma’am”.
Well dear boy, wish the great professor knew plain English!
About the Author
Jyothi Vinod is an Electronics and Communication engineer with a masters degree in engineering (specialisation in Communication engineering). She has teaching experience in engineering colleges since 2001. She loves expressing herself through writing, whether it is technical or creative writing (about nature and the world around). She has taught signals and systems, digital signal processing, microprocessors, microcontrollers and computer architecture. She has a special love for the role of electronics in the medical field.
Related posts:
- Tips to Write in Plain English
- How Plain is Plain English
- The Importance of Plain English in Corporate Communication
- Plain English in Legal Writing
- Does Plain English Kill Creativity?
Comments:
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Nice writeup Jyothi, I completely relate with your thoughts. I meet a lot of children who come from the rural background. They hesitate to converse in English in spite of being good at communicating in Plain English.